Culture + Buzz by ActiveWake.com

Every year we have an opportunity, in August, to go up to Radar Lake to see the newest product that Radar and Ronix have to offer. This is an exclusive show where only dealers are welcome. They don’t allow pictures but they do allow us to try out the newest product and technology and give them our feedback. Why am I telling you this you ask? Because this year they added a little incentive to the dealers who take the time to make it out to this event. If you are present at the event you are given an order form for exclusive, limited edition, product. If you don’t show up, you don’t get to order it.
One of the items offered in a LTD graphic is the all new Bandwagon.

<p><strong>Ronix has designed the first ever camber wakeboard!</strong></p>

<p>Define Camber? To arch slightly; bend or curve upward in the middle.</p>

<p>When you edge the Bandwagon into the wake you generate your initial pop from the nose connecting with that wake. As the water travels out the back of the board you get a second pop from the rocker in the belly of the board. This will help boost your pop and naturally level out your jumps. You also notice the extra pop in your ollies and air tricks at the cable. The board does allow for a substantial amount of flex so cable riders are absolutely stoked out of their minds on this board.</p>

<p>The Bandwagon Has the feel of a One Board with a larger sweet spot and increased pop. Being the lightest board in Ronix’s wakeboard line, the Bandwagon speaks for itself on the water.</p>

Ronix has designed the first ever camber wakeboard!

Define Camber? To arch slightly; bend or curve upward in the middle.

When you edge the Bandwagon into the wake you generate your initial pop from the nose connecting with that wake. As the water travels out the back of the board you get a second pop from the rocker in the belly of the board. This will help boost your pop and naturally level out your jumps. You also notice the extra pop in your ollies and air tricks at the cable. The board does allow for a substantial amount of flex so cable riders are absolutely stoked out of their minds on this board.

The Bandwagon Has the feel of a One Board with a larger sweet spot and increased pop. Being the lightest board in Ronix’s wakeboard line, the Bandwagon speaks for itself on the water.

We are super excited about the NEW Slingshot Crossbreed ISUP. It is 11ft in length and 33in wide. The spot that you really notice the difference in the new inflatable is in the thickness. When inflatable boards first started popping up on the market they were almost all 4 inches thick. Even after inflating the boards to the recommended, 15 PSI, they would still flex and bow substantially under your feet, even to the point that they would take water over the top. The all new inflatable Crossbreed is 6 inches thick! This is the most rigid inflatable board we have ever ridden. With its crossover touring shape it is a great board for all divisions of paddleboarders. The pointed nose gives the board more drive through the water and less resistance in windy conditions.

Now for packing this board around? Most hard paddleboards are about 11-14ft in length. They won’t even fit in the back of most truck beds. The Crossbreed Inflatable rolls up so compact that it fits into a backpack alongside the pump, fin, and patch kit that are all included with purchase. You could literally throw this bag on your back and bike down to the water. It is also carryon size so they are great for flight travel.

A couple other great features on the board are the tie down harnesses up towards the front of the board. This makes for a great place to tie down a case of beers before you go out for a paddle. Another is the removable tracking fin on the bottom of the board. Some of the older inflatable boards did not have removable fins which made it difficult to roll up compact.

If you have a chance to make it down to Active Water Sports to try one out, you should! Otherwise, pick one up at ActiveWake.com. Demo Days is May 17th. We will have all of the boards out there for free demos all day long. Call our shop if you have any questions: 503-650-5991

So I will admit it. Every year, I plan on getting my holiday gift shopping done early, and every year I find myself scrambling at the last minute, trying to find the perfect gift for somebody on my list. For this reason, I have put together a Holiday Gift Guide for items here at Active Water Sports. I asked some of our staff to give me a list of a few items that they would love to receive, and narrowed them down to a list of items that might be perfect for somebody on your list!

We have a lot more to offer than what is shown here, so feel free to stop by and one of our knowledgeable sales associates will be more than happy to help you pick out the perfect gift, no matter who you are shopping for! The bonus is that your friends will have until January 15 to exchange soft goods such as clothing, wetsuits, vests, tubes and accessories (unworn/unused, tags attached, and in original packaging), and until JUNE 15 to exchange wakeboards, water skis, and bindings (even if they have been used!) as part of our performance guarantee**. We want to be sure that everybody is happy with their gifts this Holiday season.

The Slingshot Jewel Boot is a product that I have wanted to try for the last few seasons, but for some reason I just haven’t. I was recently given the opportunity to ride in a pair of the NEW 2014 Slingshot Jewel Boots, and I was not disappointed. I have exceptionally small feet, or so I have been told (ladies 5.5 or kids 3.5/4…but it really is almost to the point that I could ride with children’s boots if only I were actually the height and weight of a real child and a kid’s boot would actually support me and my style of riding. To get to the point, it is difficult for me to find wakeboard bindings that fit both my feet and riding style. Sloppy fitting boots have never done anybody any good. I tried out the Jewel Boots in a size 6.

When I first put the 2014 Slingshot Jewel Boots on, I was impressed with the fit. They felt secure around my entire foot, and I felt almost no heel slippage which is something I always check for in a boot fitting. I can only imagine how awesome these boots would feel after utilizing the heat shaping liners that Slingshot offers. There is nothing quite like a custom-fit boot!

Lacing the 2014 Slingshot Jewel Boots up was a cinch. The 2014 model offers a new hybrid strap and lace closure system. This means that there is a lace + toggle on the top of the foot and a replaceable velcro strap around the ankle. I was nervous about the velcro at first, but I found that I could get these boots to be as tight as I needed them to be. I felt as if all my major foot/ankle support zones were covered, and I was ready to go.

After strapping in to the 2014 Slingshot Jewel Boots on my 2013 Slingshot Kine (I will have to try the new 2014 Slingshot Windsor later!), I hopped into our brisk 54 degree Oregonian water (in my O’Neill wetsuit, of course) and waited for the boat to start. The boots performed exactly how I expected them to. My entire setup was super responsive thanks to the baseless feature of the Slingshot Jewel Boots, my landings were super soft, and the Slingshot Jewel Boots offered a great amount of support.

Other aspects…mounting these boots to my Slingshot Wakeboard was nearly effortless. The boots are designed well for the board, and they do come with hardware that allow you to mount them to other wakeboards if you aren’t quite ready to make the switch to a Slingshot Wakeboard. These boots are also cute, and as much as I will tell you and anybody else that I don’t care what my setup looks like, I am almost always lying because deep down I do care. I think these boots look great, and they looked pretty darn good on my 2013 Slingshot Kine Wakeboard…I also think they look especially nice on the 2014 Slingshot Pearl Wakeboard, which also happens to have my favorite graphic in the entire 2014 Slingshot Wakeboard lineup. I truly think any girl would be stoked to have these boots on their wakeboard. I definitely look forward to using these boots more in the future!

Time flies… I can’t believe it’s already been a few years since Hyperlite shook up the wakeboard industry with their System Wakeboard Bindings. The first edition was far from perfect but the System bindings have been getting better and better each year.

We got our hands on the 2014 System Pro Bindings this fall and we’ve been putting them through the wakeboard gauntlet in order to give you a fair and balanced review of the 2014 Hyperlite System Pro Wakeboard Bindings.

The first improvement we noticed this year was how much lighter the binding is. The biggest complaint we’ve been hearing from customers is that the System setup is heavier than most other binding/boots. Hyperlite completely updated the design for 2014 and it’s lighter and stronger than years past. The G6 Polycarbonate body is lighter than the 2013 model and so far it feels a bit more stout too.

The fixed highback seems to be a big improvement over the moveable versions available on the older models. The urethane highback is lightweight and it offers really good heel-to-toe support and maximum lateral flexibility for poking out tricks… the best of both worlds if you ask me.

Another new feature for the 2014 System Pro Model is the available baseless chassis. This design gives you the best board feel and almost immediate edge response. Looking to go big on some double-ups? You can always throw in the removable EVA footpad for some added protection.

The Verdict: 9/10

Pros: A definite improvement over last years bindings. The baseless design and lighter, better quality materials make the 2014 Hyperlite System Pro Bindings a serious contender for footwear of the year.

Cons: The boot/binding combo is still heavier than some competitors setups. We haven’t had them long enough to truly test their durability.

Harley Clifford’s Pro Model Wakeboard package is back for another year due to popular demand. The 2014 Harley Wakeboard has a super fast ride and huge pop off the wake. The 2014 Bindings have just the right amount of flex where you need it and excellent heel hold down. It’s easy to see why this package flies off the shelves when you see the $599.99 price tag. If you are looking for a pro model package at a intermediate price tag check out the 2014 Harley Package Here!

Saturday, October 5, 2013 was quite possibly the best and most beautiful day that October Wake Fest could have occurred on. With the Pacific Northwest, you just never know what kind of weather you are going to get, especially as you get deeper into the Fall. We saw a high of around 72 degrees with clear skies up at Koppert Lake, which is awesome especially when you consider the intense amount of rain and cold we endured just days before. Anyway, nobody really cares about the weather except for the fact that as the day went on a lot of people were rocking shorts and tank tops and we were all happy to hang out in the Sunshine and enjoy wakeboarding for at least one more day before hanging up the water boards and replacing them with snow sticks.

October Wake Fest Morning

The morning started out pretty chilly. I drove up Friday night to hang out with the Active Water Sports crew and those who came early for practice runs, and when I unzipped my tent on Saturday morning, I was definitely glad to have my beanie, jacket and boots to keep me warm! The day quickly warmed up as people started to arrive and the competition ramped up.

Sunny Day at October Wake Fest!

Anyway, on to the good stuff…we were stoked to see so many great riders show up for October Wake Fest. Legendary riders like Mike Ennen, Nick Cardoza, and Michael Cardoza came to show us how it was done in the Northwest. Kyler Green delivered a solid run, stomping every single trick and also not repeating any tricks during his run. Sean Cebell landed a super awesome kickflip during his wakeskate run, which was definitely the highlight of the day. Let’s not forget to mention how HUGE and stylish Sean Cebell looked during his wakeboard run…he sure can ride a wakeboard good for a wakeskater!!!

Grom riders Soda Patrick and Alexi Patrick showed us their skills, and I could barely believe it when Alexi told me she had just started wakeboarding in June of this year! We should definitely expect to see big things from those girls as they keep on riding.

Here are the results from October Wake Fest!

Men's Open Podium

Men’s Open

1st – Kyler Green
2nd – Mike Ennen
3rd – Jeff Ward

Men's Advanced Podium

Men’s Advanced

1st – Steven Cruickshank
2nd – Joey Sheets
3rd – Daren Postforoosh

Men's Intermediate Podium

Men’s Intermediate

1st – Sean Cebell
2nd – Akil Mason
3rd – Seth McKeon (not pictured)

We could not find a picture of the Beginner's podium. Please let us know if you have one.

Men’s Beginner

1st – Buckweat Terry
2nd – Randy
3rd – Justin Dreisner

Please note: After review of score sheets, it was decided that Buckweat Terry was the clear winner of Men’s Beginner division. We apologize for any confusion. Randy was announced as the first place winner at Koppert Lake, but Buckweat should have taken first.

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As the weather gets colder, so does the water. If you are anything like me, you do whatever you can to stay on the water as long as possible. There are many different ways to stay warm as we get closer to Winter, but one of my favorites is to wear a drysuit. O’Neill has two really great options for drysuits, but a really common question we get is “which drysuit is better?”. There is no exact answer to this question as so much depends on each individual’s personal preference, but there definitely are common trends that go along with each drysuit that may help you decide which is the correct choice for you. Here are a few questions I like to ask:

1. What are you planning to use the drysuit for?

If your answer to this question is wakeboarding, then the O’Neill Boost Drysuit is probably for you. With the Boost Drysuit’s all baggy style, it fits over almost any choice of clothing to keep you warm and dry while still giving you some sweet style.

If you answer to this question is water skiing, then the O’Neill Assault Drysuit is probably for you. Since the Assault drysuit is a hybrid style drysuit, it has a thick neoprene from ankle to waist that fits snug to the body, similar to a wetsuit. The top of the drysuit is still a baggy style so you can fit a vest or a warm sweatshirt underneath, but you have significantly less drag in this suit. Less drag makes it easier to complete deep water starts, and also is higher performance for shredding bouys.

If your answer to this question is anything other than wakeboarding or water skiing, then read the answers above and decide which best matches the description of what you are looking for.

2. Are you planning on sharing this drysuit with other people?

If the answer to this question is yes, then you probably want to consider the O’Neill Boost Drysuit. The Boost drysuit will fit over almost any article of clothing and fit a wider variety of people while staying completely dry. For this reason, it is easier to share with others. After you are done with your activity, then you just need to take the suit off and hand it off to the next person. You and everybody else in your boat stays warm, meaning you all can take extra sets and everybody stays happy.

If the answer to this question is no, then you may want to consider the O’Neill Assault Drysuit. The Assault drysuit will stretch to fit you body over time, similar to a wetsuit. For this reason, it is not ideal for sharing with others. The benefits to this suit though, are great since it gives the best of both worlds with the hybrid style. Plus…sometimes it’s OK to be a little selfish, and this gives you a great excuse to not share with your friends.

Regardless of which drysuit you decide is best for you and your needs, you will definitely be happy with your decision to try an O’Neill Drysuit. There is nothing quite like getting out of the water, taking that suit off, and being completely warm and dry!

These O’Neill drysuits and accessories are currently available online at ActiveWake.Com with free shipping anywhere in the USA. Feel free to give us a call at (800) 832-7547 if you have any additional questions about the drysuits.

This may be old news to those of you who stay up-to-date online at Transworld Wakeboarding, but they recently posted an edit of their #12 most influential rider, Keith Lyman. While Lyman recently left wakeboarding to join the U.S. Army, he is still remembered for his huge-air tricks and unfathomable amounts of style. Check out this sick edit of the legendary rider in action on his new 2014 Slingshot Wake set-up.

This definitely gets me excited to try out the new 2014 Slingshot Wake product. The new line-up looks pretty crazy, and Lyman’s boards have always had an element of excitement to them as they are usually paired with some serious kick off the wake. With a brand new shape for 2014, I cannot wait to test out the new Slingshot Lyman Wakeboard. Also, talk about some sweet new kicks! The 2014 Slingshot RAD Wakeboard Boots that Keith is rocking in this video are completely redesigned for 2014 and look like they will be a game changer for the upcoming season. The RAD boots from Slingshot Wake have always been a popular choice, but it really looks like things are stepping up for 2014!

If you want to ride like Keith Lyman, check out his 2014 Slingshot Lyman with RAD package on ActiveWake.com, available NOW with free shipping anywhere in the US.